Los Angeles daily herald., 1887-08-21
DAILY HERALD.
a NIT 81 southern Romance.
New York Tribune.l

places. Thus it may take one across
one of the numerous ferries that carry
the weary New Workers to the hills of
New Jersey and to the beer gardens
and big breweries where the Ger
mans are numerous. 1t may send
one down the bay on one of the hun
dred excursions out to sea or up the
Sound, to Long Branch, to Coney
Island or up along the Hudson.
Alladin with his wonderful lamp
could not conjure up more places OF
recreation or more variety of amuse-
ment than are spread before New
Workers. at this season of the year.
Wherever one strolls there is novel.
ty, and open ears and retentive
memory will catch up floating bits oi
gossip and news anywhere and every
where.
1t was this fact that impressed the
Tribune stroller as he sat on the decl
of q Long Branch boat on Saturday
The accommodating and lugubrious
Italian musicians had just completed
their finest symphony, collected the
nickefs and dimes of admiring listen
ers or of persons glad to be rid of theil
dolefully manipulated violins, and had
gone down stairs to drink before open.
ing new musical programme in an.
other part of the boat. A fat and
greasy, smiling-faced black man was
puckering his lips for a mocking-bird
whistle, with view of capturing what
few pennies the Italians had failed to
charm out of the pockets of the pas
sengers, when he was touched on the
arm by tall and handsome athletic
man OF perhaps forty, typical South
ern gentleman. In an instant they
had embraced-this greasy black man
and this elegant gentleman.
We all guessed it at once-that is
we thought we did. 1t must be, il
could be nothing else than an old
master and old slave episode.
Well, it wasn't. Out of that meet.
ing the Tribune Stroller heard the
uueerest bit of Southern romance.
''Where is your MISTRESS" was the
first question the negro was asked by
the gentleman when they had come
away from the crowded deck and had
got into corner near the Stroller.
''Foah de Lawd, Mas'r George, ]
doan no." was the colored mans re-
ply. "De ole gemman don bounce
me, when he fin out bout you and
Miss Emily. Lawd, but I'se glad to
rec you. Use ben mighty neah start
once or twice."
Then they talked low and long. II
came about presently that l had an
opportunity to offer the Southerner a
light for his cigar. Shortly l offered
him cigar. Presently we were ex.
changing common-places that ripened
into an interchange of opinion on
various topics. At last l mentioned
the strangeness of his meeting with
the negro. / got the whole story. II
would make the basis for an American
novel.
There died in Virginia some time
ago the head of an old family of that
State whose wealth footed up seven or
eight millions of dollars. Not little
Of it was invested in New York realty.
BY viii the bulk of this property was
left to a single heir, ith bequests of
0,000 each to other heirs There
was talk of q contest of the will. The
prudent legatee made compromises.
In the case most pertinent to his story
he agreed with son-in-law of the
dead man that he should receive
500, 900 for himself, and $780, 900 for
each of his two daughters on the day
they should become 2l years OF age,
and sign release.
One of the other heirs refused to
compromise, brought suit against
property in New York, and recovered
some $3.50, 900. The son-in-law who
had made compromise has been in
mortal dread lest the two daughters
whose fortunes he holds in his hands
should marry before reaching 81, and
although their husbands should be in
duced to sue for a larger share of the
fortune, than had been arranged under
the compromise. They are beautiful
Southern girls, 10 and 20 years of age.
He is widOwer. Lately he has de-
voted his entire time to their service,
going about the country with them
and zealously warding off sutors.
He never remains long anywhere.
The moment an acquaintance ripens
between either one of them and gen.
tleman who becomes assiduous in his
attentions, the father quietly an
nounces their departure for some
other place. His argument to his
friends is that if either of the girls
should be induced to bring suit after
marriage, she would risk being COM
PEELED to accept the 10000 awarded
her under the will, even though her
cousin was lucky enough to secure
three-quarters of million. The
s400, 900 that he is sure of under the
compromise he thinks ample for them
and himself. They know nothing of
the situation.
The old darkey whistler was a SER
want of the family. The gentleman
on the boat had been suitor of one Of
the girls. His love had been returned,
and the colored man had been the
instrument through whom their court
ship had been carried on. The father
found it out, discharged the boy, and
moved away so quickly that the lover
found himself cut off from communi-
cation with his mistress. He had
come North, he told me, in the hope
of finding her at some one of the
watering places.
Queer story, wasn't it?
Well, the queerest part OF it is to
come.
Strolling along the beach below the
West End Hotel that night l came
across two figures walking so close to-
gether that the blindest observer
would have known them to be lovers.
1t was my tall friend of the boat and
graceful young woman, whose little
form and elastic step told of the ply
steal strength for which Southern
women are noted, and at the same
time of mental exaltation. Trailing
along back on the sands / noticed the
whistling darkey. He was creeping
at snail's space, but keeping a
wary eye out. He had over
heard some of the condolences